Thanatos:
by King Seeker
Summary: Humanity struggles to survive as do the Titan Shifters from the village. They fight a war which neither side hopes to win, a war which has brought the world to its knees. A God rises to the task, determined to put an end to the war once and for all. And Eren finds himself in a dangerous game of hide and seek. One where he cannot trust anyone. Not even himself.
1. Who is Eren Yeager

**Note: I don't own any of the characters in this story**

 **Authors Note:** Hello readers! It's taken me some time to get this done. But the idea is unique and I'm hoping that you'll enjoy it.  
Also, since this is the first chapter, there's going to be a _lot_ of boring introductions. But bear with me. Give it a shot! Who knows, you might find something you like!

* * *

 **THANATOS:**

 **Rating:** T (Though some chapters might get an 'M' in the future)

 **Category:** Shingeki no Kyojin

 **Main character:** Eren Yeager/Mallow Archer

 **Summary:** Humanity struggles to survive as do the Titan Shifters from the village. They fight a war which neither side hopes to win, a war which has brought the world to its knees. A God rises to the task, determined to put an end to this meaningless bloodshed once and for all. And Eren finds himself in a dangerous game of hide and seek. One where he cannot trust anyone. Not even himself.

* * *

 _As the dazzling sun appeared over the horizon, golden rays of light fell upon the lush greenery atop the cliff. A gentle breeze blew past, swaying the trees and bushes as if to the smooth rhythm of music, past the dense forest which stretched as far as the eye could see. For a moment, there was no sound except for the soft chirping of birds and the swirling of the wind._

 _All of a sudden, earth-shattering thuds and roars tore the tranquility of the morning. A large flock of birds fluttered away from the treetops, startled by the uproar that erupted from the ugly clash right at the center of the cliff._

 _Two colossal beings stood tall and grappled together, fighting for dominance in the heat of the battle. The Rogue Titan struggled to pin his nemesis down, locking his hand over his opponent's head and pushing downwards.  
_

 _His opponent retaliated by gripping Eren's other arm and pulling him down. With a swift kick to the head, he freed himself, nearly knocking Eren out with the intensity of his attack._

 _The Rogue Titan took a step back, trying to regain his bearings._

 _Eren's adversary towered over him. His muscles rippled beneath his bluish-green skin. A white, long mane covered the majority of his face. Behind the mass of hair, lay two scarlet orbs gazing back at Eren with an intensity that made his skin crawl._

 _The Blue Titan growled at Eren Yeager menacingly._

 _"Eren Yeager." He rasped. "I will annihilate you."_

 _Eren roared back at him defiantly._

 _He dug his feet into the ground, then charged forward. His adversary mirrored his movements._

 _Fists collided. There was a violent explosion. The trees were buffeted by the shock-wave. Eren was sent flying. He landed hard on the ground, meters away from the edge of the cliff._

 _He gritted his teeth as he got up, staring at the smoking stump which used to be his hand._

 _Then his opponent was upon him, raining powerful blows, destroying Eren's body, sending up dust into the air which further obscured the Rogue Titan's vision._

 _By the time he stopped, Eren was in a pitiable condition. His dislocated jaw dangled aimlessly. His disfigured face was shrouded in steam as it slowly regenerated. His hands hung limply by his side._

 _The Blue Titan lifted Eren by his throat and looked him straight in the eye._

 _"You wish to fight me…." He growled. "And yet there are some things you simply cannot fight."_

 _Eren gritted his teeth in frustration._

 _He tried to grab hold of the Blue Titan, but found nothing._

 _"Strength dictates the ways of the word." A voice rang out from behind the veil of dirt which hung in the air._

 _Eren charged in the direction of the voice, only to receive a crushing blow to the small of his back._

 _He whirled around, trying to locate the source._

 _In a flash, his enemy stood before him, a malicious smirk on his face._

 _"The Mighty make their own destiny… and the rest are dragged along."_

 _A sudden spurt of pain. The sound of flesh ripping through flesh._

 _Eren fell to the ground, his hand covering the gaping hole in his chest. He felt dizzy, watching his blood trickle through his fingers. His vision turned red._

 _The Blue Titan guffawed loudly, as if he was relishing Eren's pain._

 _"I am the unconquerable tide that sweeps away cities." He thundered. "I am the inferno which consumes everything. I am that which can be seen, but not conceived, that which can be experienced but not comprehended. And you think you can defeat me? You, a simpleton who was born and brought up in a cage!"_

 _Eren exhaled._

 _As his enemy flickered in and out of focus, his thoughts were a blur._

 _'I am weak.'_

 _'I am alone.'_

 _Images flashed inside his head. His parents, his sister, his friends… everyone he had ever cared for._

 _'No one to help me. No one to be by my side.'_

 _The Rogue Titan lunged at his foe- who disappeared once again, leaving a trail of smoke in his wake._

 _Cuts erupted across Eren's body, and he brought up his hands in a defensive stance, trying to counter the crushing blows being dealt to him._

 _But it was to no avail._

 _The Blue Titan moved faster than the eye could follow._

 _To Eren, the world was just a blur of blue and white, encompassing his entire vision._

 _"Use your strength!" His opponent urged. "Show me if you have what it takes to carry my burden! Unleash your rage! Obliterate your limits!"_

 _Eren closed his eyes. A moment passed in silence._

 _What was he without his friends? What had he ever achieved on his own?_

 _He had lost track of the number of times he had failed, the number of times someone else had been forced to step in to save his life._

 _Eren resented every bit of it. He resented how he'd let so many people die. He resented the fact that he always failed to protect those who were close to him._

 _And then, from the deepest recesses of his mind, a single thought rose._

 _'No longer.'_

 _He could not lose._

 _He would not lose._

 _Eren's muscles relaxed and his hands dropped down, abandoning their defensive stance._

 _He was no longer searching for his enemy, but trying to find patterns..._

 _He was rediscovering himself._

 _'What does it mean to be strong?' He wondered._

 _A punch to his jaw sent him sprawling._

 _'What does it mean to be weak?'_

 _Another blow to the back of his head, dangerously close to his nape._

 _'What is power?'_

 _'What is responsibility?'_

 _Warmth spread from the base of his skull to the rest of his body. He could feel his blood pounding furiously inside his head. His skin stretched across his body. His bones started clicking back into place, damaged limbs being repaired at unimaginable speeds. The hole in his chest was gone, concealed by his skin._

 _At that moment, Eren found answers. At that moment, he attained enlightenment._

 _Red hot burns sprouted on his skin and Eren could feel a new found power surging within him._

 _He let out an unearthly shriek. The dust dispersed, sending ripples through the sky_

 _He opened his eyes._

 _His opponent was still too fast for him._

 _But this time, Eren instinctively knew what he had to do.  
_

 _He pulled his head down, and the Blue Titan's arms swung above him._

 _Time slowed down. Eren swerved around and his hand shot up, ramming his adversary in the face._

 _The Blue Titan recoiled, the smirk wiped of his face._

 _An uppercut straight to the chin._

 _A crushing knee to the gut._

 _Slowly, Eren pushed the Blue Titan towards the edge of the cliff. His nemesis fought back violently, but this time, Eren was the one in control._

 _Their hands grasped each other and Eren pushed forward._

 _The Blue Titan growled in frustration as his feet slid backward until they were no longer on solid ground._

 _And now, he hung in the air, his only lifeline being the hand that grasped his throat._

 _Eren felt hope surge into him. He had won! He had overpowered his enemy!_

 _For a moment, the Blue Titan stared at him, red eyes boring into green._

 _Then he threw his head back and laughed heartily, unmindful of the fact that he was about to fall to his death._

 _"Well done!" He boomed._

 _Eren recoiled, taken aback by the sudden change in the atmosphere. He almost let go of his opponent, but he found two arms grasping his own, with a grip as hard as iron clamps._

 _"I see now, why you're so special simpleton! You may be weaker than the others, but your determination knows no bounds. Your will is what keeps your heart beating even in the darkest of times."_

 _Bolts of uneasiness wreaked havoc on Eren from the inside._

 _The Blue Titan was the one whose life was in peril. And yet, he had somehow managed to gain control of the situation._

 _Fingers dug deeper into Eren's arms. Blue tendrils made their way from the Titan's body and plunged themselves into the Rogue Titan's wounds, spreading their dark hue to his pale, clammy skin._

 _"Together!" The Monster roared as its body lost a part of its color. "Together, we will purge this desolate place of Evil! Together, we will right the wrongs of this world!"_

 _His voice lowered to a whisper._

 _"I will protect you, Eren Yeager. I will guide you through this cruel world. And when the time comes, I will return to reap the seeds I have sowed in you today."_

 _Flecks of skin broke off from the Titan's body. His face slowly started to droop as if it had lost it's cohesion._

 _He let go of Eren's hands. For a second, he remained suspended in the air._

 _Then he descended, the fog clinging to him as he fell. Bits and his pieces of him kept falling apart, and his body dissolved before it could hit the ground._

 _For a second, Eren was alone. For a second, there was peace._

 _He looked at his hands, covered in the Blue Titan's blood. His skin had taken on a darker hue._

 _To Eren, it felt unnatural. It felt as if he had been tainted, as if he was no longer wholly himself._

 _Then he was encompassed in blinding white light and a voice spoke in his mind._

 _"Eren Yeager, You will be my salvation."_

 _And Eren's world flickered out._

* * *

 **Chapter-1**

 **Who is Eren Yeager?**

* * *

Mallow Archer woke up to the familiar din in the barracks.

He could hear people muttering under their breaths, some whispering silent prayers to themselves while others discussed several topics enthusiastically.

' _Another dream…'_

It took some time for his eyes to adjust to the bright light which filtered through the blinds of the window. It took him even longer to remember what he was doing here in the first place.

They were all that was left of the 105th trainee squad. The ones who had chosen to join the Survey Corps. The ones who had opted for a life of adventure over safety and comfort in the Military Police or Garrison regiment.

For many years now, humanity had been forced to hide behind these gigantic walls- to protect themselves from… Titans.

Those creatures that frightened many and fascinated a few.

Those creatures that bore several striking resemblances to human beings.

And yet they couldn't possibly be more different.

They varied in shape and size. They could sustain themselves solely on sunlight and were less active during the night. They lacked well-developed vocal chords and couldn't speak. They preyed on human beings, despite having no particular motive to do so. They had no digestive tracks, so whatever they swallowed was eventually regurgitated once their stomachs were filled. They were extremely resilient. They could regenerate entire limbs if need be.

Most of them showed almost no signs of intelligence. But Mallow had heard that there were a few who were nearly as smart as human beings. And that made them dangerous. Apparently, the ones they called the Colossal Titan and the Armored Titan fell into that category. And there were other examples too.

It was the Garrison's duty to defend the walls. It was the Military police's duty to maintain peace and order. And there was the formidable Scouting legion whose job it was to expand their territory, learn as much about Titans as they could, and maybe even free humanity from the confines of these walls someday.

Mallow's train of thoughts was broken as someone rapped him hard on his head.

He looked up and spotted a thin, gangling teenager with a grin plastered across his face, a toothbrush stuck in his mouth and foam dribbling down his chin.

"So the zombie lives."

Mallow nodded in acknowledgement. "It's good to see you too Greg."

Gregory wasn't one to talk. His wide, droopy eyes, his prominent nose and those huge spectacles which rested on them, made him resemble an owl. He would have been the quintessential nerd of the group, if not for his hot temper and blatant straightforwardness.

He wasn't exactly the type who could get pushed around easily, but he'd gotten himself into quite a few tight spots, simply because he was the sort of person who was extremely frank about his opinion. Meaning he'd be the first one to tell someone if he thought they were acting stupid.

Greg continued to stare at Mallow, his eyes narrowing.

"Bad dream, huh?"

"Yeah…" Mallow confessed.

Greg nodded wisely. He opened his mouth, probably to say something uplifting to Mallow, but he choked on his toothbrush and his face turned green. He gestured to Mallow, telling him to get ready, before making a beeline for the restroom.

Mallow stared at him as he ran, knocking into some of the other trainees on the way.

He was Mallow's best friend. His only one, to be honest. And though they hadn't known each other for long, Mallow enjoyed his company, especially since Gregory actually seemed to be bothered about him.

He was one of the only people who treated Mallow like he was a normal person.

But Mallow knew he wasn't normal. Not even close.

His problems had started when he'd woken up in these very barracks with no recollection of who he was or how he got there. He'd found himself among the members of the 105th trainee squad.

It was crushing. Not knowing who he was. Not knowing if he had a purpose. Not knowing if he had a reason to live.

Sometimes, Mallow wondered if his life was just a big hoax. Why was he so different? Why couldn't he be like the rest of them?

He'd heard so much from the others…about honor, about laying one's life down for humanity…

And Mallow couldn't relate to any of it. He couldn't understand why most of them seemed so eager to join the survey corps. He couldn't understand why everyone seemed so eager to put their lives on the line.

He understood _nothing._

Which is why he didn't have many friends. Few people enjoyed talking to a person whose mind was the mental equivalent of a blank slate.

How could someone survive in a world he knew nothing about?

The answer was simple. One had to go with the flow. This was especially easy in a place like this, where the recruit's lives where governed by strict rules. All Mallow had to do was follow orders.

As time passed, Mallow learnt to _adapt._ He learnt to blend in with the others, to become one with the crowd.

In the end, he almost managed to become like the rest of them.

 _Almost…_

Mallow was constantly badgered by nightmares. None of them made much sense, but they were vivid enough to scare the hell out of him.

In his dreams, he wasn't himself.

In his dreams, He was Eren. Eren Yeager.

Mallow had seen Eren's mother die. He'd seen Eren transform into a 15 meter tall humanoid and unleash vengeance upon the Titans.

Mallow had seen so much, he felt like he'd known Eren his whole life.

And he could say one thing for sure.

Mallow and Eren had absolutely nothing in common. Eren was strong, emotionally and physically, while Mallow wasn't. Eren was someone who everyone would look up to, the one who couldn't help but draw attention towards himself. Mallow was the sort of person who tended to hide in the corner of a room.

Eren Yeager had dreams, goals and ambitions. Mallow had none.

Mallow spent most of his free time idling around, thinking about this 'Eren.'

The concept of humans transforming into titans wasn't unheard of. In fact, rumors said that the Survey Corps had already managed to lay their hands on a Titan-shifter. Other rumors claimed that they had used _this_ Titan-shifter's abilities to plug the breach in the Trost District.

So Mallow had tried to mention Eren's name casually in a few conversations with the other trainees. But they simply stared at him with blank faces, as if they had never heard of that name before.

The dreams scared him. They forced him to stay awake at night. They were a huge burden to him, an everlasting source of discomfort.

Not all of them were that bad though…

One of them actually gave him a warm feeling. It made him smile.

He closed his eyes, trying to recollect...

 _A kind face… a smile… a voice…_

 _'Thank you… for being together with me…'_

 _'Thank you for teaching me how to live…'_

 _'Thank you… for wrapping this scarf around me…'_

This was the dream which had the greatest impact on Mallow. _This_ was one of the only memories he had which he actually treasured.

Mallow wanted to see that smile again. Even if it was just a small glimpse. He wanted to find someone who would actually care about him. Someone who might understand him. Someone who might be able to explain what was going on.

Two people. Two people who Mallow needed to meet. Eren Yeager, and the girl in his dreams.

He _had_ to find them. There was nothing else he cared about. Nothing but-

"MALLOW!" Gregory screamed.

Mallow yelped.

"Wha- What happened? Is Inspector Shadis angry with us? Is-"

"It's nothing of that sort!" Gregory scolded him. "I was just annoyed because it looked like you hadn't even moved from your place since I last saw you."

Mallow looked down and noted that Gregory was right. He had been daydreaming the whole time.

Gregory sighed.

"Well, we've got no time to lose. Get dressed as fast as you can. We only have an hour left."

Mallow's brows furrowed.

"An hour? For what?"

Gregory rolled his eyes.

"The selections!" He grumbled impatiently. "The selections for the elite squads."

Mallow stared at him.

"Oh right…" He muttered, secretly cursing himself for forgetting.

Gregory tossed a bundle of clothes to him.

"Here..." He said.

Mallow blinked at the uniform, then gave Gregory a broad grin.

"Thanks! I'll be back in a minute or two."

He disappeared into the crowd.

* * *

Gregory felt frustrated sometimes. It had been a few months since they'd been friends, but he'd never gotten used to Mallow's peculiar behavior.

While the other trainees would talk to each other about their dreams and ambitions, Mallow would spend most of his time looking out of the window or sitting next to the table, his head buried in his arms, immersed in deep thought.

He was an oddball, a person who couldn't fit anywhere.

And yet, there were several points about him which piqued Gregory's interest.

Mallow was the type of person who could open his minds to various possibilities. He could see the same problem from different angles. And that's what Gregory admired in him. You didn't see a lot of people like that these days. Most were brought up in such a way that they could only think in _one_ direction.

And though Gregory had reasons for joining the survey corps, he'd quickly discovered that the same problems existed there.

While their training had focused mostly on sharpening their skills and shaping them into ideal soldiers, a part of it had been created with the intention of reducing all possible opposition by robbing the trainees of their individual perspectives and implanting a 'general soldier's personality in them.

While this meant that the soldiers would work more efficiently and follow orders easily, it also meant that there wasn't much scope for flexibility.

To Gregory, it seemed as if he was one of the only people who hadn't been brainwashed completely. And of course, Mallow as well.

Mallow didn't really strike Gregory as a teenager. He was more like a sheltered kid, a person who hadn't seen enough of the world to understand how cruel and twisted it actually was.

Mallow also suffered from some sort of inferiority complex. He always seemed to be upset because he'd think he wasn't good enough. He felt like he didn't deserve to be in the Survey Corps. And to Gregory, that sounded a bit silly because Mallow wasn't a _complete_ pushover. He had _talent_. He was a fast learner and sometimes, he made Gregory wonder if he had already been trained before.

But the problem with Mallow was that he lacked _initiative_. Inspector Shadis had pointed it out as well. Though Mallow was definitely capable of completing most of the tasks he was given, he withheld himself, preferring to allow others to do it for him, just because he wasn't confident enough.

And that was probably one of the reasons why Mallow had barely missed a spot in the top 10 trainees, though Gregory himself had managed to secure the sixth position.

Gregory was secretly excited about the selections. And he knew he wasn't the only one.

Every year, the elite squads of the Survey Corps were invited to take a look at the trainees. If a particular squad found a candidate they deemed worthy, they had the right to add that person to their teams.

Gregory knew all about the squads. Some of them were led by living legends- soldiers who could single-handedly slaughter legions of Titans.

Like Lance Corporal Levi- the head of the Special Operations Squad and the one they called Humanities' Strongest.

And Mikasa Ackerman, the leader of Squad-104.

Gregory wasn't interested in any of these teams though. He had already decided which squad he wanted to join….

Just a few more hours, and he'd be a full-fledged member of the Survey Corps.

He noticed that the trainees were leaving the room, meaning that the selections were about to start.

Gregory's heart was thumping hard. This was his chance to show them all what he was made of. This was his chance to prove himself.

He followed the rest of them outside, thoughts racing through his mind.

He felt as if he'd forgotten something. Something important.

But he let it pass. Things would work out for him. They had to.

* * *

A few minutes later, Mallow came hurtling into the room, wearing the survey corps' uniform.

He frowned.

' _Where is everyone? Have they left already?'_

He bit back a curse and rushed outside.

He needed to be there in time or the inspector would have his head.

His thoughts were a blur as he rushed towards the training grounds.

 _And suddenly, he was no longer running. He was flying in the air. Flying towards the one who had destroyed his home. Flying towards the one responsible for his mother's death. Flying towards the Colossal Titan._

Mallow tripped and hit the ground face-first. The pain had disappeared, as abruptly as it had started, paving way for a vast sense of discomfort and unease.

He pushed himself to his knees and stared at the ground,

 _'Another memory? At this time?'_

Things were slowly going out of control. The dreams had been even more frequent than usual recently, but he had just dismissed it as some sort of a coincidence.

He wasn't very sure about it now.

He shook his head violently, pushing the thoughts away..

He could worry about it later. Now, he needed to move.

He got up, brushed the dust off his pants and took off towards the training grounds, praying that he wouldn't be late.

* * *

Orion stared at the bright sky, trying to decipher the patterns made by the clouds which floated above him.

' _Creation… Preservation…Destruction…'_

Those were the pillars that supported the cycle of life. Without them, worlds would collapse and entire civilizations would fall.

Orion knew that his race faced extinction. With the passing of time, the Celestials had grown weak. Through the ages, they had lost the drive... the fighting spirit once possessed by their ancestors.

And yet, he was aware of the fact that his race was merely a blip in the vast plane of existence- the plane of existence which threatened to crumble away.

He delved into the depths of his sub-consciousness, searching for answers.

The humans had already made their move. So had the warriors of the village.

Orion's blue skin glinted in the sunlight.

A single question rose to his mind.

" _Eren Yeager… Will you deliver? Or will Thanatos destroy you?"_

* * *

 ** _Authors Note:  
_** _And that's the first chapter, folks! I apologize for the lack of dialogue and action in this chapter, but bear with me- I simply had to introduce some of the characters before the story gets going._

 _For those of you, who've been following my previous story- AOT revolution and decided to give Thanatos a try, thank you! I hope you find this re-write as interesting as the original.  
_

 _I'd also like to thank my beta-reader **Forschia** for helping me out with this chapter. If you're interested, you should try out her story-'Attack on Titan: Left Behind' as well. It's a story about the Survey Corps as a whole and describes the various ups and downs of their lives as they endeavor to expand their territory and rekindle humanity's hopes through the eyes of a new character.  
_

 _Now, before I conclude this, I've got a thing or two to talk about._

 ** _Thanatos is a re-written version of another story?_** _\- Yes, though it deviates significantly from the original plot. The original story is called 'AOT revolution' and if you readers are interested, you can check it out! (Though I'd like to put out a huge spoiler alert.)  
_

 _ **Eren Yeager? Mallow Archer?** \- The character we all know and love or a complete stranger? Not going to say much here, but this part was heavily influenced by the concept of ___Ken_ Kaneki / Haise Sasaki from Tokyo Ghoul RE:. I'm not entirely sure if Mallow would qualify as an OC though...  
_

 _Next chapter, a few familiar faces pop up!_


	2. Selections:

**THANATOS:**

* * *

The putrid stench of filth mixed with blood made her wrinkle her nose in disgust.

It was natural for Warriors to feel uncomfortable in closed spaces like this one. It was in these sorts of places where they were vulnerable, where they were as weak as humans.

But for Annie, there was more to it.

This broken down shack was a relic of the destruction that had been unleashed within Wall Maria.

This was one of the places that Annie feared the most.

She put a hand on her head, hoping to stop the persistent throbbing.

The blood she had spilt…

The lives she had taken…

The thoughts made her shudder.

Annie was by no means weak. She had been raised for this very purpose. They had trained her and transformed her into a cold-hearted killer, one who destroyed everything in her wake.

She had endured pain greater than she could have ever imagined.

But all those times, she had been convinced. Convinced that she had played her role in serving the greater good.

She no longer knew if she was right or wrong.

Her nails dug into the palms of her hands.

 _'You can't stop now. Not when you're so close to succeeding.'_

 _'Once you're done, you'll finally be able to go home. You'll be able to meet your father.'_

She felt a pang of grief course through her.

Her eyes lingered over the person who lay on the mat, wrapped in blankets, his teeth chattering.

He had always been the one Annie had looked up to. And it wasn't just her. He'd been an elder brother to all of them. Even Reiner and Bertolt.

He had given them hope. Hope that they could get back their lives. Hope that their suffering was worth it.

And it broke Annie to see him like this.

Weak, Fragile, Alone...

The person let out an involuntary gasp…

"Annie" He whispered "Where are you?"

She grasped his hand tightly.

"I'm right here, Marcel."

He didn't seem to notice. His eyes were dreamy, unfocused. For a second, they came to rest on her, but they quickly swerved away.

He writhed in agony, silent sobs wracking his body.

"Why won't anyone answer me? Why won't anyone listen to me?"

A single tear ran down his face.

Annie shuddered.

"What has he done to you?" she whispered.

But there was no response. The boy's head hung to the side, mouth agape. Annie felt a burning sensation in her hand-which she quickly withdrew. Wisps of steam rose from Marcel's body and his clothes blackened because of the heat.

Annie let out a cry and scrambled away. She rushed outside and slammed the door shut.

 _'Why?'_

She slid to the ground, one hand on the door, another one pulling at her hair.

' _Why is it always us…"_

 _'I don't think I can survive any longer.'_

 _'I don't want to kill anyone else.'_

Her eyes burned, and it took all of her willpower to stop her from breaking down.

* * *

 **Chapter-2**

 **Selections:**

* * *

Mallow felt dizzy as he sat on the ground, staring up at the person who loomed over him menacingly.

Onyx eyes.

Black Scarf.

A cold expression on her face.

To a bystander, it would appear as if she'd pushed him down. But the truth was that _he_ had accidentally run into her, not bothering to see where he was going in his haste to reach the grounds on time.

To be honest, it felt like he'd collided with a wall. He'd been knocked back, but she'd barely moved from her spot.

The weirdest part? Her face had jogged his memories. She seemed overwhelmingly familiar to him and yet he'd never seen her before.

His mind was one big mess as he struggled to recollect. There was something about her which gave him a warm feeling. But as he brought his eyes down to her scarf, Mallow felt something which he hadn't experienced for a long time.

Rage. Pure, unadulterated rage.

He was tempted to rip that stupid scarf off her neck and tear it into pieces.

His anger made him irrational and for a second, he almost gave in to his instincts.

Then he was back to normal. His muscles relaxed and the urge was gone.

"How long are you going to be sitting there?"

Mallow looked up in surprise.

"What?"

The girl furrowed her eyebrows, as if she wasn't used to repeating things again and again.

"Get up" She told him.

Mallow got to his feet at once. For some reason, he found her intimidating.

"I'm sorry." He mumbled.

She didn't seem to notice his apology, but continued to gaze at him intently.

"Are you a member of the 105th squad?" She asked him at last.

Mallow nodded, not entirely sure why she seemed interested.

"Mallow Archer?"

He recoiled in surprise. "H-How did you-"

"Come with me"

Mallow blinked. "Why should I-"

The look she gave him made him tremble.

"I've already spoken to Inspector Shadis." She stated. "There won't be any issues with your absence."

Before Mallow could respond, she turned on her heel and trudged away.

He stared at her for a second before hurrying up so that he wasn't left behind.

"B-But where are you taking me?" He asked her.

No response.

Mallow felt an eerie sensation creep up his spine.

"Did I do something wrong?" He asked her.

"No" She responded with a finality, unofficially declaring that further questions would not be tolerated.

So he spent the rest of the walk in relative silence. His mind kept wandering off to the selections. He wondered how Gregory would be doing. Would he be successful in getting a place in the squad he wanted? Wouldn't he be worried about Mallow's absence? What would happen to Mallow himself if he missed the selections?

And where was this strange girl taking him?

Mallow was panting heavily now, struggling to keep up with his companion's brisk pace. But he wasn't surprised. It was obvious that the girl ahead of him was a seasoned veteran, even if she did seem a bit young. She carried herself with an air of confidence, as if she had no doubts about what she had to do. Like the other soldiers, she had probably stared death in the face many a time. Heck, maybe she'd even seen the battle of Trost!

For a moment, Mallow was tempted to ask her about the Titans. He'd only seen crude illustrations of them till now, and he really wished to know if there was a way he could find out more about them.

He was so immersed in his thoughts that he hardly noticed that the soldier ahead of him had stopped and walked right into her.

This time, she wasn't very pleased.

"Can't you see where you're going?" She demanded gruffly.

Mallow muttered an abrupt apology, cursing himself for not being more careful.

 _'Come on Mallow'_ He chided himself. ' _Take it easy!'_

He found himself in front of a well-built building, a large door staring back at him ominously.

The girl turned to him.

"We're going to see Commander Erwin" She announced. "Try to be polite."

Mallow froze. His legs felt like they'd been turned to jelly.

"The Commander? The leader of the Survey Corps?"

The girl rolled her eyes.

"It's obvious isn't it? Is there anyone else with the same name as him who happens to be a commander?"

Her face was expressionless as usual, so Mallow didn't really know how to react.

In the end, he responded by giving her a dull nod.

She stared at him, as if she was sizing him up, then shook her head disappointedly. She muttered something about 'clueless recruits' before proceeding to knock on the door.

"Come in." a voice replied.

The two of them entered.

* * *

Erwin's office stood out from the rest.

Most of the people in the high ranks preferred to nail proof of their various achievement and capabilities on the wall, and make their rooms look as glamorous as possible.

But not Erwin.

The walls were bare, and the curtains were drawn in such a way as to only allow a patch of light to fall on Erwin's desk, so he could attend to his tasks.

A bright-red pen-stand lay on the desk, and Levi noted that it was the only accessory in the room which didn't contribute to its gloomy look.

He watched as Mikasa Ackerman entered the room, followed by a nervous kid whose green eyes flitted across the entire place as if he was some sort of cornered animal in a cage.

' _This was the brat he was talking about?'_

Erwin didn't seem particularly bothered though. On the contrary, his face had split into a grin.

"Mallow Archer, isn't it? Have a seat."

The boy's eyes drifted towards the chair which had been occupied by Mikasa and then returned to meet Erwin's gaze. He shifted his weight uncomfortably from one leg to the other, then walked up to the last chair and sat in it.

For a second, there was no sound in the room except for the scratching of a nib on paper as Erwin continued with his work.

Finally, Erwin put his pen down.

"So…Mallow…" He began. "What do you think of the Survey Corps?"

By the look on the cadet's face, Levi could tell that the question had been an unexpected one.

"It's great, sir." He replied at last.

Erwin nodded, apparently unfazed by the vague nature of his answer.

"How old are you?"

Mallow bit his lip.

"I'm 15." He said at last.

Mikasa gave him a calculating look.

"You seem to be older than that."

Mallow gulped, and Levi could tell that he was exceptionally bad at lying.

For a long moment no one spoke.

Mallow rubbed his palms which had started sweating profusely even though the room wasn't hot.

The tension was unbearable.

He bit his lip.

"Sir?"

Erwin turned back to him, eyebrows raised. "Yes?"

Mallow swallowed. "If you have nothing else to tell me, may I go back to the training grounds?"

Erwin's eyes seemed to bore straight through Eren's and the pressure he was feeling within escalated rapidly.

"Yes? And what do you plan to do there? You've already been chosen for a squad."

* * *

Noise levels in the barracks peaked as the excited recruits swarmed in, the girls gossiping and the guys poking fun at each other and generally having a jolly time.

Gregory stood out though, as he muscled his way through the crowd, an expression of deep concern etched across his face.

His eyes fell on the nervous recruit sitting at a table, his face buried in to a book which Gregory knew Mallow couldn't possibly be interested in.

He walked up to the brunette and ripped the book away from his hands.

A pair of green eyes stared back at him!

"Come on Greg!" Mallow protested. "It was getting interesting!"

"Huh?" Greg replied, venom dripping from his voice "And here I was thinking that you were hiding behind the book on purpose so you wouldn't be noticed!"

Mallow's shoulders slumped.

"Where were you?" Greg demanded. "The inspector didn't seem to be particularly bothered either. It's as if he knew that you weren't coming, wouldn't you say?"

Mallow sighed. "It wasn't anything serious Greg. I was just introduced to my future squad."

Greg frowned. "Huh? Why the hell didn't they just do it in the grounds?"

Mallow tried to stem the flow of words, waving his hands wildly. A few heads had turned towards him, making him extremely uncomfortable.

"I'm not sure why they called me to Commander Erwin's Office, but-"

Greg's jaw dropped down.

"What did you say?"

Mallow, realizing that there was no alternative, simply decided to come clean.

"I'm going to be joining Mikasa Ackerman's squad." He confessed.

His voice was louder than what he had wanted it to be. There was a hushed silence and suddenly, all of the trainees had pounced on him.

"You joined what?"

"Damn, who do you take us for son? Nobody ain't believing you."

"Did you get to see her? Mikasa, I mean?"

"Dude, she's like a 100 soldiers put together. At least that what the rumors say."

"That's a load of bull, she ain't that good. But she's still one of the best."

"Pffft… it's no big deal, Levi can take her, no problem."

Questions rained down relentlessly on Mallow and an explanation was demanded.

* * *

"So then…" Mallow concluded after a lengthy description "I was sent back to the barracks with orders to report for training starting from tomorrow."

After that, the crowd slowly thinned away. A few stayed back to ask Mallow a few questions of their own before leaving until Mallow finally found himself alone with only Greg at his side.

For a moment, the two of them just stared around, not meeting each other's eyes.

"That's a lot to handle huh?" Greg muttered at last.

Mallow nodded, but avoided Greg's gaze. He'd been acting weird ever since the selections had ended, and Mallow wasn't particularly happy about that.

"There are still lot of things I don't understand though…." He wondered aloud. "They didn't really do anything different. Why did we have to go through all that trouble?"

Gregory laughed, but it was a forced laugh and it didn't really make Mallow feel better.

"Well, you better figure it out quick, Mallow. The Survey Corps need you. You're _special,_ aren't you?"

Mallow glared at him. "What are you talking about?"

Greg rolled his eyes. "Oh come on Mallow, no need to be modest. Let credit be given where it's deserved."

At first, Mallow couldn't seem to fathom why Gregory was being so distant and moody.

But all of a sudden, everything fell into place like the pieces of a puzzle.

"Gregory, are you _jealous?_ "

Gregory's face turned beetroot red.

"No!" He protested "I uh-"

"You really wanted someone to ask you about your squad huh?"

"It's not like that, I-" He put his hands up in surrender. "Ok, you got me. It was just a bit annoying that's all. You getting all the attention, I mean…"

Mallow sighed. "Well, it was your fault. You didn't need to yell in front of them, you know."

Gregory nodded, visibly embarrassed. "I know… sorry."

The two of them stayed quite. To an outsider, it might have seemed like nothing serious was going on but the ice between them had been broken and both were visibly relieved.

"Well, you were the best choice for squad-104 anyway." Greg noted.

Mallow perked up. "Really?"

"Yep." Greg replied. He traced overlapping circles on the wall, immersed in deep thought. "I mean…. look at these guys. They act like they're friendly, but in reality, they're just a bunch of backstabbers who're willing to step over others if it makes them look good. If either of them was selected for that squad, dealing with the pent-up resentment of the others would be a major issue. At least with you, they can laugh it off as some sort of lame joke, if you see what I mean."

Mallow stared at him. "Thanks. That was encouraging."

Greg cracked a smile. "Don't mention it."

Mallow smirked.

"So…" He ventured "Which squad did you join?"

Gregory straightened up and Mallow could tell that he was very pleased.

"Ever heard of Hanji? You know, the one who's obsessed with Titans?"

"The scary lady with the goggles?" Mallow winced as he recalled the first time he'd seen the enthusiastic section commander.

"She's not scary. She's a genius! She's probably one of the few people here who's not doing her job for giggles."

Mallow rolled his eyes. "So why did they chose you? Did you bust out your gear and give them a taste of your terrifying skill?"

Greg turned red. "No. It was a bit more… subtle."

"Really? What did you do?"

Greg blushed. "I started a conversation with her. About Titans."

He moistened his lips. "Well, I'm calling it a conversation, but it was pretty much me listening to her going on about Titans."

Mallow nodded. "And…?"

"I just nodded the whole time and she seemed really pleased. And I might have said a few things which impressed her and the rest of the squad at the same time."

Mallow whistled. "And that got you into their squad huh?"

Greg raised his eyebrows. "I still did _something_ you know."

Mallow conceded. Greg had a point after all.

He sighed. "It's just weird for me, you know… getting picked randomly for a squad."

Greg shook his head.

"I doubt its random." He said. "There are a few hundreds of us here and a significant number who would deserve the spot more than you."

"I know. That's why I think it's odd."

Greg shrugged. "Well, there's nothing you can do about it now. It's best if we just carry on."

He stood up, brushing the dirt off his jeans. "Anyways, I think I need to pack my stuff."

Mallow nodded. "Yeah, carry on. We're both going to be somewhere else tomorrow."

Greg stood up and headed for his belongings.

Midway, he stopped and turned around.

"Mallow?"

Mallow looked at him inquisitively. "What?"

There was something about Greg's expression which troubled Mallow, gave him a sense of foreboding.

"This might be the last time we see each other."

Mallow felt a gnawing pain in his gut. He'd known this was coming. But he'd never expected it to happen so fast. They'd been with each other for only a month or two, but Mallow couldn't imagine his world without his friend.

He managed a smile. "Nope, we'll definitely meet again."

Greg smiled in return as he left the room.

Watching him go, Mallow wondered if Greg felt the same as him.

He'd be alone once again. From now on he could make no friends, only allies.

For the rest of the recruits, their stint as trainees had just been a stepping stone towards their goal. But it had also been a part of Mallow's life.

A part that was now over.

* * *

"So" Erwin ventured "What do you think of him?"

Levi shook his head. "There seems to be nothing out of the ordinary. I see no reason to be cautious."

Erwin nodded. "And yet I am confident that there is a connection between them."

"Why is that?"

No response.

Levi scowled. "Why couldn't you just keep him under surveillance then? Why put him under the Ackerman brat?"

"Because they will come for him. Of that, I am certain."

Levi grunted. "I see. Are you going to tell me what you're planning any time soon?"

Erwin closed his eyes and let out a sigh.

"No" He replied. "Not now. Not until I'm _sure._ "

Levi bit back a nasty retort. He'd learnt a long time ago, that Erwin was a person who needed to be trusted. The path ahead of them was uncertain, but if he was sure about one thing, it was that Erwin's mind was the key. He held the answer to the seemingly inescapable mess humanity had gotten into.

"Alright" Levi said at last. "I'll go with that for now…"

He stood up and made as if to leave, but a firm hand on his shoulder rooted him to the spot.

"What about _them_?"

Levi froze. Images flashed in his head.

 _A street painted red. The bloody remains of his comrades. The monster who was behind it all._

"I can take care of myself." Levi growled.

Erwin's expression remained impassive, but his voice was one of concern.

"It's not you I'm worried about."

Levi's eyes widened.

 _'The Titan Shifter...'_

"He's improving." He said "But he still hasn't accepted it. He blames himself for their deaths."

Erwin nodded.

"Look after him." He advised, a steely gleam in his eyes. "He's just a child. But he is also humanities' greatest hope. We cannot afford to lose him."

Levi nodded.

"I'll do that, _Commander'_ He replied, stressing on the last word.

A thousand thoughts swirled in his head as he left the room.

 _'It happens every time…'_

 _'They always die in the end…'_

There was still hope for Humanity. Wall Maria could be recovered. Further territory could be gained.

But what about those who died in the process?

Levi grunted, a bitter taste in his mouth.

What about the martyrs from the Special Operations Squad?


End file.
